Dust Collection 5" to 6"

Would I see any benefit from my dust collector with a 5inch out-put to run 6 inch pipe as main line in shop. I would assume it could only move the amount of air at the initial dust collection port but I could be wrong? I have a small shop 14×24 and just want to try and keep as many mistakes down as possible.

Thanks B.

8 replies so far

If the DC is large enough to support a 6” run, I would put that in. Then I wouldn’t be constrained by the puny DC ports on a lot of tools; upsize them to whatever you can work in to the space. But if the DC isn’t large enough to support the 6” main run stick with the 4”

There is one single simple answer to your question.It depends on your collector, its CFM capacity at what pressure, what horse power, what length of duct run.A Harbor Freight 2hp collector is optimum with a 4” and a 2-1/2” dict connected and both open at the same time, for instance. Your collector may have totally different characteristics.

-- Michael :-{| Don't anthropomorphise your tools, they hate it when you do that.

Well Im not sure. I have custom built one in a way my collector. Im using the prop and motor off of a harbor freight collector and exhausting outside so no filter. on the large onieda dust deputy cyclone. The input i guess on that cyclone is 5 inch. I would say the longest run would be something like 24-26’ total length up/down and across.

Lots of guys run 6” on the HF 2HP DC and report good results. I am honestly leery of the idea… Stick with 5” if you can. Biggest problem with 5” is lack of 5” PVC, so everything is metal, and thus more expensive to run.

I am planning on running metal anyway just going to use ducting you can get at big box stores. I dont think I will have any problems with them wanting to collapse with this collector. Seems like the plastic vs. metal always starts a debate so we will stay away from that.

For 6” pipe you’ll need a collector powerful enough to create adequate air speed otherwise the dust/chips will stall. Also, except for a big planer or similar, do you really need 6” pipe ? Most people seem to use 4”, especially if a guy is only running one machine at a time.